The analysis and quantification of blood components is an important diagnostic tool for better understanding the physical condition of a patient. Since adequate noninvasive blood analysis technology is not currently available, blood samples still need to be obtained and analyzed by invasive methods from a great number of patients every day. A well known example of such needs is self monitoring of glucose levels by a diabetic individual, often performed in the home of the individual. To obtain a blood sample it is necessary to puncture the skin with a sharp object such as a lancet at a region well supplied with blood vessels, for example, the fingertip. For lancing, a lancet launcher is first loaded with a lancet and cocked by pulling or rotating the cap on the launcher. The tip of the launcher is then pressed against the skin and a button is pressed to launch the lancet to strike the skin.
Currently available lancet launchers are typically pen-shaped devices. The lancet is held in a cylindrical piston which is propelled by a spring mechanism. On cocking, the spring serves to store the energy required to propel the piston forward at the skin. The propulsion of the lancet causes the lancet to impact against and puncture the skin, causing a wound large enough for sampling blood.
Such blood sampling is often painful and inconvenient. As a result, many patients tend to not sample blood as frequently as suggested by the health professionals to monitor the physiological functions adequately. Moreover, for fear of pain in blood sampling, many patients fail to use the lancet launchers properly. Such improper use results in inadequate blood volume being collected and requires repeating the lancing procedure, causing more pain and multiple wounds.
What is needed is a lancet launcher for sampling blood that can be used for sampling blood efficiently, so as to minimize pain to encourage a patient to follow a routine for sampling blood as directed by health professionals.